YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME…

I took some time out on Friday and popped down to London to meet up with daughter no.1, her partner and son no.2 . The reason for this gathering? We had tickets to see Toy Story 3 at the Imax theatre in Wimbledon. How cool am I?

How cool?

Pretty darn cool in these 3D glasses, I can tell you! Anyways, what has this to do with turning 50? I hear you cry. Not a thing, to tell the truth, except it was fun and I want to share it with you. For those of you who aren’t already fans, the Toy Story movies are meant to be kids’ films with clever bits for adults – they work on several levels so that parents and grandparents can take their smalls to the cinema and not fall asleep and risk losing them in a darkened auditorium. However, I would warn you against taking anyone under seven to see this instalment – it is seriously scary in parts.

There’s even a Blackadder moment where I actually wondered whether they were going to put paid to rumours of another sequel by killing off all the characters. It’s a pretty dark tale dealing with growing up, loss and abandonment. They’re all toys! well, yes. And cartoon toys at that. But these are cartoons with personality and I defy anyone with half a heart not to get misty-eyed when Andy finally goes off to college without Woody and Buzz et al. As for the rocky romance between Barbie and Ken – sublime.

Whatever you might think of Disney, or cartoons in general, Toy Story 3 is worth a video rental, at least. Better still, get yourself down to the nearest imax cinema and experience the wonderful world of Pixar animation in 3D.